Pasadena Neuropsychiatry Center Torie Sepah, MD

Why did you go to medical school? For me, I wanted to be the doctor my aunt never got see before she took her lifeone that spoke her language, #farsi . Maybe even someone she could trust as a new immigrant, a young mother. Today, the colorful blanket she knit for me as a newborn hangs in the waiting area of my office. It is one of the only objects I have from my early life in #Iran like most, we fled a revolution with the bare essentials. ... Somehow it has never left my side, a reminder of both the beauty and fragility of life. And that #psychiatry is as much about life & death as other medical specialties. #suicideprevention #suicide #endthestigma

On Friday, Maestro #Shagarian passed away in Iran at the age of 80. Despite our age difference, I broke into tears upon hearing the news. Memories of his comforting voice singing Morgheh Sahar over & over at the #Persian gatherings of my childhood filled my thoughts the whole day. As kids, we sat in our parents' labs while listening, humming along. It didn’t seem sad even though sometimes tears were quietly shed because all of the adults would erupt in cheers when it ended.... It somehow made everyone seem more at peace. And not much did at that time. I now realize it was in many ways the soundtrack for this encapsulated chapter of my life--the one that is so relevant to who I am, who I've become, yet so distant in time and geography. Perhaps we are shaped more than we realize by these early experiences that nourish the soul during times of turmoil. Maybe they are more than moments of respite during chaos. I later learned that Morgheh Sahar, was originally written by a prisoner of war from the 1st #Iranian Revolution. Big Sigh. Giving inmates a voice has been a defining component of what has driven my work. I am admittedly tone deaf, so my path isn’t as lovely as the Maestro's. But maybe, just maybe, a seed was planted during one of those warm evenings near the Caspian Sea, listening to Shagerian’s Morgheh Sahar that we all deserve humanity, even behind bars. A footnote: When Iran’s former president, Ahmadinejad referred to the student protesters as dust and trash, Shajarian, then 71, told a BBC reporter that he considered himself the voice of dust and trash. He banned his music from being played on the Republic's radio station thereafter. May we all be inspired by his voice and his bravery.

#ab890 #gavinnewsom

Our @brainsway #tms system now has the #h7 coilthe ONLY TMS system that is approved by the #fda for treatment of #ocd. (The H1 (blue) is approved for Treatment Resistant #Depression, as are models by other manufacturersnone are indicated for OCD tx). Whether for depression or #obsessivecompulsivedisorder, #psychiatry is undergoing an evolution: fewer medications, fewer side effects, & higher remission rateswhich are sustainedthrough #neuromodulation. ... #deeptms #dtms #brainsway #obsessivecompulsivedisorder

A recent piece I wrote....change only happens when we're willing to speak up. Each voice has an impact in the world--make your voice heard on what matters to you. Jackie Senteno Guyson Ron Shatzmiller Dary Sepah

#blacklivesmatter in healthcare more than you can imagine. There is a great deal for us to do, but first we must be willing to ask and answer some tough questions.

Physicians are in crisis. We have kept this from our patients because it simply is how the doctor physician relationship is structured. It’s your care, we are there to help you. Not the other way around. We have also been trained to not complainno matter how bad things are, how tired we may be, how over worked, how unsafe our working conditions are. We suck it up because that’s the culture we endured for at least a decade of grueling training. And we all know culture ain’t ...easy to change. But something has to change. Physicians are not only now the profession with the highest burnout rate, we have more than twice the suicide rate of the general population. And this affects patientswe lose over 1 million patient contacts a year due to physician suicide alone. Clearly being stoic and sucking it up isn’t helping us or our patients. So I am opening the blinds and showing you allour precious patients, the reason we do what we do everydaywhat doctors are grappling with. Empathy isn’t the primary goal. I want physicians and patients to reconnect the way we were supposed to before the five layers of people and messages existed between us. I want patients to understand that we don’t control how medicine is practiced anymore. We don’t decide how much time you get with us. You are still our priority which is why helping physicians survive and ultimately thrive is one of my goals. When doctors suffer, so do our patients. This article is about one of the ways that we are burdened and lack a voice. We are learning to speak up.

Hats off to my colleague at Altamed Health, Dr. David Del Bello an Infectious Disease specialist who I have the privilege of working with one day a week in the specialty HIV clinic. He is one of the kindest, smartest and hardest working people I’ve ever worked with. #frontlinefaces

Happy Birthday Paige! Thank you for everything you do, every day that helps our patients. We’re so lucky to have your cheerful spirit (and uber-organized nature) in our lives. But spending your birthday afternoon on a tough home visit with me and not mentioning it was your birthday....now that’s angelic. #frontlinefaces #covid19losangeles #neuropsychiatry #psychiatry

As emailed to our paitients earlier today, but just in case...we're still here and you are not alone. #covid19